Of the Roaring Thunder Above: The Lightning Thief
by Lady Lemonia
Summary: H. Diana Potter returns after the whole Quirremolt fiasco, needing a break. If only the Fates could be merciful- tree headed dogs, a two-faced jerk and an important item she must save. It seems that her last adventure is repeating itself, but now she's a mere tag-along of. However, most important- who's this Thalia Grace and why does she feels strangely happy to hear her name? AU
1. Prologue: The Three Graces

**A/N: First: Hello guys. I'm very happy- this is my new (and first) story- or crossover, whatever. I would apreciate if you would tell me if thre's maybe something wrong in there. anything, ok? Grammar errors, I must apologize if there's some pretty stupid spelling mistakes in there- English isn't my native tongue. Oh, I beg for you to not put flames or hurtful coments. If you don't like my story, please refraiihatever errors... Secondly: This is a Fem!Harry. So sorry no GW/HP. The name I have chosen to give her is Diana (for the Roman goddess of the moon and hunt and virging girls and stuff- _that_ Diana) Hyacinth: that was a hero, if I remeber that Apollo loved or somehing. I'll tell you later as the story slowly progresses one of the many reasons I choose this name. I'll give you a hint- Hyacinth: 1) Is a boys name, 2) _H_yacinth, really? 3) Was a hero in the myths and 4) G: Apollo - R: Apollo. **

**Please fav and follow, and no flames! Please leave good reviews, ok? I mean recomendations and such**

**PJATO/HP Crossover**

**Disclaimer: I'm not JK Rowling, if I was Sirius and Remus would be alive- for the matter I'm not Rick Riordan either for similar reasons. ****Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>blaaaaaaaaah <strong>Author's Note

_**blaaaaaaaaah **_Dates (you know like April 17, 2001)

_Blaaaaaaaaaah _thoughts, flashbacks, emphasis, spells and past conversations

**blaaaaaaaaaah** titles

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><p><span><strong>Prologue: The Three Graces (Thalia's POV)<strong>

**_August 7, 1993_**

Her mother was a selfish woman, and Thalia had always been aware of that.

With her long blonde hair, rich blue eyes and tanned complexion, Beryl Grace, the famous TV star- wasn't a good mother. Thalia suppressed a snort. She was dreadful, but she couldn't say Beryl hadn't tried to be a good mother, though.

Her mother's own mum had been an alcoholic, something which seemed to be inherited. Sadly, when Thalia was two her mother started to drink- and smoke too. Beryl had her moments of being a great mother- at least when she was sober. But, Thalia could only count that moments, on one hand. That didn't mean she didn't love her mother. But Thalia was bitter. She had to take care of her mother while taking care of herself.

While Thalia had never met her father, part of her blamed him for her mother's state. Some nights her drunken mother would wail and scream his name- Zeus she'd called him. And sometimes Thalia's mother would whisper harshly about Zeus and call him King of the Gods, Lord of the Skies or some stuff like that.

Her father? A god? A _king_?

"Of course," the dark haired girl muttered bitterly. "And I'm blonde. Ha!"

At first, she believed her mother was mad, surely the alcohol had reached her brain and killed all her neurones, after all this time. But strange things began to happen, that weird lady following her. Or the way she could almost tell when a violent storm would happen. But when she was seven all changed.

There was a knock at the door, followed by a deep voice- a man's voice asking, "Beryl?"

Her mother's eyes widened in surprise, that she let drop the cigarette she'd been smoking. Thalia was surprised for her mother's action, so she followed her. The seven year old peaked around the corner into the hallway where the front door stood. Her electric blue eyes narrowed.

The voice belonged to a tall man. He seemed to have black hair, a well-trimmed beard, marbled grey and black like a storm cloud. His face was proud. And his eyes, she realized with a gasp, were electric blue. Just like hers! He appeared to be in his mid-twenties and wore a dark blue suit.

"Zeus," Thalia's mother whispered in wonder.

Beryl stepped back to allow him to enter, her eyes wide. The man smiled grimly at her mother, before looking around the place curiously. A few minutes of silence then-

"You can come out Thalia," the man she almost recognized called out.

While Thalia was young and pretty and had a spray of freckles across the bridge of her nose. A sun-kissed complexion. Black hair like a raven's wing. It all screamed cute, adorable... innocent little girl. But Thalia's eyes that were big and of an electric blue color, sparkled with suspicion.

"Who are _you_?" Thalia demanded, arms crossed trying to look at least a little intimidating. While she may not have a perfect relationship with her mother, she was not going to let her die by the hands of an strange man. Who said he couldn't be simply disguised as her father? Perhaps he was a theif.

The man,- apparently 'Zeus' didn't get angry as he simply chuckled. His eyes oddly soft as he approached and pulled a small silver box wrapped on a blue ribbon, from one of the pockets of his suit.

"I'm Zeus, my daughter" he said, knowing she wouldn't be civil until he answered her questions. Her father wished her a happy birthday, handing her the silver box.

_So if he was her father, where had he been for the last five years?_

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><p><strong><em>July 1, 1994 (Midnight)<em>**

It was nearly six on the morning when Thalia passed back and forth in the waiting room of the hospital. Her eyes wide with worry. On October of the last year her mother had cheerfully informed Thalia, that she was pregnant. And no, she wasn't getting a silbing- she was getting two. It wasn't as if Thalia had a problem, she had wanted silbings since a long time ago. But her mother was a problem. Beryl was _the_ problem. A drunk mother whom also had smoking tendencies taking care of an dyslexia and ADHD seven year old girl and also a pair of newborns twins. Yeah, _that_ wasn't going to happen.

What if one of the twins died? What if _both_ of them died? What if her mother had smoked to much, or drinked to much and the twins were born ill? What if_-_?

"Hello, Thalia." Zeus greeted her, a small smile in his lips.

_Why is he smiling? Does he enjoy my misery!? _Thalia thought bitterly.

Then was when she noticed, he was wearing a pair of blue scrubs on top of his suit. Slowly comprehension began to dawn over her and her eyes turned wide as owls.

"The twins!", she exclaimed. "Are Jason and Achilles, okay?" Thalia asked, the palms of her hands sweating by the nervousness.

The names were few of the things mother and daughter had agreed on. Thalia knew that names had power, her father had said so. Therefore, it was decided that if they were sons of Zeus, powerful ones that's it, they had to have powerful names. They were the names of two Greek heroes, Jason was a mortal and Achilles was a descendant of Thalia's own father.

Thalia had wanted to name them Achilles and Perseus (who was _another_ Greek hero), but her mother, with her eyes wide and filled with terror had said no. Insisting that one of them _must_ be named Jason.

_"He _must _be named Jason!" "Mum! But I like Perseus more-" "No. And this is my final word!"_

The god put his hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down.

"Why don't you see it yourself?" he asked, almost daring. Thalia nodded her heart racing.

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><p><strong><em>July 2, 19954<em>**

Thalia gulped pushing the 137 room's door wide open.

The daughter of Zeus stared at her mother, and the blond woman stared back at her.

She cleared her throat. "Are they?" Thalia asked hestiantly, pointing with a trembling finger the two cribs placed at her mother's left. Beryl nodded smiling brightly. And Thalia found herself smiling too. It was moments like this she remembered her mother hadn't always been like that.

She approached slowly to her mother's bed, and her brow furrowed in confusion. There laying on the cribs were two little bundles. One was blue, Thalia noticed with a smile, that indicated he was a boy. But the other wasn't a baby blue color, nor a pale pink one. It was of rich emerald green color. Wrapped in both bundles

"Green?"

"They weren't enough pink bundles for her."

"Oh okay... Wait, pink bundles?" Thalia asked. _Surely that couldn't mean..._

Her mother nodded.

"So I have a little sister?"

"Yes. A little brother and sister."

Thalia looked thoughtful for a moment, then she asked; "What are their names?"

"Jason and Deianira June Grace; meet you big sister Thalia," Beryl gave her a bright and brittle laugh.

Her mother reached out for her and gave her a tight hug. This time Thalia didn't mind for she was truly happy, she wrapped her smaller arms around her mother and inhaled her escent. Her mum smelled like lemons, Thalia realized as she snuggled deeper on the embrace, picturing the twins faces on her mind she made a promise.

_I'll protect you and never abandon you_, Thalia thought furiously, _ever._

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><p><strong><em>September 27, 1994<em>**

It was a Friday afternoon, Thalia was taking care of her silbings upstairs on their tiny nursery, when a shout pierced the comfortable silence, "You can't leave me!" Beryl screamed, her blond hairdo bouncing at the desesperate shakes of her head.

Her father's face was proud and grim, "I'm a god." He stated gravely. "I have matters to attend. Thus, I have already interfered too much. The Ancient Laws forbid me to do anything. I can't stay".

"But- you love _me!" _She protested stubbornly. Her mother seemed proud of that feat. Making the King of the Gods fall in love with her.

"I loved all my mortal lovers in my own way. And you must remember I am married. I love Hera, even if we have a difficult relationship."

Thalia watched with tear filled eyes the scene happening in front of her, craddling her baby brother in her arms, tightly. She felt the urge to scream and stop all that nonesense. Thalia wanted to yell at her father begging him to stop, to not leave, but she knew it _just couldn't _be. Blue eyes like, her own, looked at her sleepily.

"Uh?" Jason gave a happy gurgle to her, unaware of the chaos downstairs.

As Thalia looked at Jason, she felt like crying. _She_ was the one supposed to _protect_ him and Dei. From monsters, froms angry gods, from bullys, from her mother if it was necessary- from _everything_.

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><p><em><strong>December 29, 1994<strong>_

When Deianira was six and a half months old Thalia noticed that strange things started to happen.

Sometimes Deianira would smile at her old sister and wave her tiny, chuby hands dramatically at,- for example, a toy. Suddenly, as if an invisible person did it, the toy- the one that Deianira pointed at,- would float to her baby sister. Right into her waiting hands, making her beam proudly.

At first Thalia, began to curse and scream. (Her mother shouted- "Chill out 'Lia?!") And snatched away the toy, of her sister's grasp.

Unsurprisingly, little Deianira stared at her, her blue eyes wide with curiosity.

"'Lia?" She muttered the only thing she knew how to say.

Thalia motioned her sister to come closer, while stuffing the damned toy in her pocket.

"Deianira? That thing that happened was... umm," she thought for a moment. "Magic," Thalia muttered feeling silly. "Magic! Yeah, pure and cute magic," she added.

"Uh?" Deianira

"Baby magic indeed, kiddo," she murmured uneasly, ruffling her sister's blonde hair.

That night when Thalia was sleeping, she heard a faint cracking sound, the sound of footsteps and the crying of a baby.

_The crying of a baby_... Jason, Deianira!

Thalia bolted from the couch she was resting in, while passing the kitchen she grabbed a frying pan... She didn't knew what was out there! Sprinting up the stairs while gripping the pan hard.

Thalia ran at her silbings' nursery, just in the moment to see a man wearing an strange dark cloak. The hood covering his face, hovering towards her silbings, who were waving their arms and legs fiercely and crying,- a stick?- a stick, made of what appeared to be a strange type of dark wood, grasped firmly on his hand.

He grabbed little Deianira in his arms. And Thalia yelled, finally out of her shock;

"You, give me my sister! _Now_!" The eight year old's knuckles were white, her frame tembling. Thalia had to supress a gasp when the intruder waved his stick in front of her brother murmuring something. Then suddenly Jason stopped crying and it seemed he was asleep. Thalia's heart nearly stopped. She raised her pan ready to aim a few kicks.

"_Stupefy!_" the man shouted, waving his stick in her direction.

"Arghhhhh!" With a roar, Thalia lunged straight to the man, her borrowed frying pan aiming for his face. With all the drama going on, she failed to notice that as the stranger waved his wand aiming at her, a shot of dark red light shot out of his wand.

Suddenly it stroke her on the chest. Then black spots began to block her vision, she gasped but felt herself falling and falling. Darkness welcomed her and she remebered nothing.

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><p><strong><em>August 4, 1996<em>**

Thalia cried all day and night, her baby sister... She choked back a sob. Time passed but Thalia couldn't forget what happened. since that day she became very protective of Jason. It seemed that the man that had sneaked in her house had done something to Beryl Grace because her mother didn't seem to remeber nothing about Deianira. So Thalia kept her guilt to herself.

_Just a few more years_, she decided. _And me and Jason are getting out of here, maybe to that camp Father talked about?_

It happened nearly a year and a half of the kidnap of Deianira. Beryl had taken Thalia and Jason to a picnic. Thalia thought it suspicious. Her mother never went out with them. So why a picnic? A vacation she called it. After they arrived they put a large blanket in the grass they sat her mother didn't smoke, she was pale and her hands were shaking.

"Are you... are you alright?" Maybe her mother had finally snaped or she was becoming crazy.

Beryl gave her a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yes, darling. I'm fine." This was one of the things she had inhereted from her mother: That damned stubborn streak. She would tell you she was fine even if she was at death's - or was it Thanatos now?- line.

Her mother told her to go and search for the picnic basket, as she had forgotten it in the car. Thalia still carrying Jason acepted, but stopped when her mother told her not to go yet.

"Thalia, here give me Jason. Okay?" Her mother voice shook, and she extended her arms to carry Jason.

Thalia frowned, since when was her mother like that? "But-" The argument died in her tongue.

"No. Thalia give me Jason, now." Her mother ordered, her voice shook more now. But she had a look on her eyes. Thalia knew that look well she saw it every time she gazed at her refelction on a mirror.

_I knew that mum was stubborn_, Thalia sighed. She couldn't help but feel that something was off. And she always trusted her guts. Demigod instinct, she supposed.

Her mother pursed her lips. "Go on then."

Thalia nodding her head an uneasy sensation feeling her chest, ran fast to the car. She went opened the car with the keys she serached for the picnic basket. Thalia found it and she ran fast very fast to her mother. However when she came back all she saw was her mother rocking back and fort, her blond hairdo a mess. Dropping the picnic basket on the floor carelessly, Thalia shook her mother gently. She was very afraid.

"Mum... where is Jason mum?" Thalia's voice was full with the panic she felt. "Mum?" she shaked her, more harder now.

The daugther of Zeus helped her mother to remove her hands out of her face, showing that her eyes were red and puffy- probably for crying. Slowly a wild smirk began to form in her mother's face. And she started to laugh hysterically.

"Jason?" Thalia shivered at her mother's voice. Then she told Thalia something that she'll never forget.

Wrapping her skinny arms around herself, tears flowing from her eyes; Thalia only could think about what her mother said.

_"Jason isn't with us anymore."_

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><p>The Moirai —often known in English as the Fates—were the white-robed incarnations of destiny, who mortals though didn't exist. Weren't they were myths after all? But to the Grace silbings they existed. They were deep into the mythological greek world- they <em>were<em> demigods.

Therefore, the three Fates decided to separate the three silbings- the offsprings of The King of the Gods.

One, was trained since a young age to become the perfect leader.

The other, when death came closer, was kept alive by becoming a second Daphne.*****

The third, suffered at the hands of mortals and as time passed survivor was more than a title to her.

"Soon," Clotho whispered brokenly, glancing with glee at three large socks that lay on their knitting basket, that was on, one of her sisters- Lachesis lap . They were all of a differents colors. The larger one was of a deep electric blue color. The other two were the same size; though one was royal purple; the other was an startling elmerald green.

"It's only matter of time for the son of lightning, the daugther of thunder and the daughter of the sky, to find each other," Atropos murmured.

Meanwhile, in the dusty attic of Camp Half-Blood, a corspe- the mummy whose body had the Oracle of Delphi's soul inside, shook violently. Then it's eyes snaped open. There shouldn't be nothing there, expect of empty sockets, perhaps. They were empty sockets for a few seconds.

Suddenly, it's eyes began to glow green, it's mouth opened and the mummy said in a raspy voice, "And for the three Graces to become a family again."

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><p><strong>Word Count: 2,787<strong>

***Thalia was turned into a tree. And in Greek Mythology, a girl Apollo chased after, named Daphne pleaded to Gea or I-don't-know-who to escape from Apollo. So she was turned into a tree. Tada!**


	2. Chapter 1: Of owls and trains

**A/N: GOOOOOOOOODS! Im so, sOOO sorry. I didn´t uptade 'cause my computer was being fixed and I had exams. but now they are here. **

**Hello guys! Thank you, for all the reviews! **

**Thanks to: Isali; because I had some errors I was able to fix. ThunderClaw03, CluCluPerliaLover4Ever for your suggestions. To all my readers I have to infrom you that i'll be posting 2 chapters once a month, because I have no time. Thank you. Enjoy! Oh, if you recognize something of JKR they're quotes from the book:_ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. _Oh and please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: Characters: Not mine. Demigod World: Not mine. Wizarding World: Not mine. Sirius: Not mine (*cries*) Plot: Mine. **

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><p><strong><span>WARNINGS:<span> Child abuse, and mentions of neglect. Swear words. And extremely weirdness. McGonagall is a little OOC, sorry.**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 1: Of owls and trains<strong>

_**June 23, 2005**_

Hyebe Diana Potter, who lived with her maternal relatives in number four of Privet Drive, knew, since a young age that the definition of normal didn't aply for her. When she was six years old, still innocent and naive she had sneaked out of home and into the public library. She searched for a dictionary, turning pages ansxiously, desire burning on her heart. Then she found it. It was difficult reading it since the words danced along the pages, but she managed to read something like:

_**Normal [nawr-muh l]:** (adj) 1. confirming to the standard and common type, usual, regular- natural._

The book on her hands had sliped and fell to the floor with a soft, 'thud'. The words echoing in her mind. Normal is natural. Normal _is_ natural!_ Normal is natural!_

_If normal means natural... Not-normal means unnatural- a freak, just like Aunty Tuney said I was, _the little girl had realized miserably.

And now that she thought about it, she was right in a sense. She had read later that normal meant other things- like when you serve to establish a standar. Now she understood. People in society behaved in a way, if you didn't you weren't normal. Now that Diana was older and wiser, she understood- so she was proud whenever her Aunt would say she wasn't normal. In a way she was- not normal, she didn't lived up to the standards. Diana wasn't like the other girls, who used dresses, and had nice clean hair. No, Diana got into fights with boys, and climbed trees, and roofs and once, a car.

Diana wasn't normal: Aunt Petunia liked to make it very clear, with her snide and bitting remarks. But, Diana was happy for not being normal.

Privet Drive had hardly changed since Diana began to live in there, when she was fifteen months old. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been ten years ago.

It was eleven on the morning when a red car backed out of number four's drive. The fairly expensive car had five ocupants. Dudley Dursley, who was Diana's older cousin, althought only for a few months. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head- he looked like pig in a wig. That was Diana's opinion of course.

Sitted to his right was Piers Polkiss, Dudley's best friend, who was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was part of Dudley's gang along with Malcom Reeds and Gordon Livingstone, and usually held he arms of their vitims as Dudley punched them on the face. For Diana they weren't more than a disgusting group of bullies, therefore the neighboors thought they were the next Jesus or something. Aunt Petunia sat at the side of the driver, her bony and horse like face, frowning, with her nose stuck up in the air. Driving the car was Uncle Vernon, who was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, and a very large mustache. His beady eyes were narrowed at her reflection in the rear-view miror.

Diana just stared at her lap, playing with her hands and fighting the urge to lunge at her uncle and scream. That would probably do things worse.

Before thay left the house Uncle Vernon had pulled her aside, gripping her hair and looking down at her with disgust. Diana could wonder why. She was dressed in a large and old second hand dress. Her long red hair was dirty and messy- the messy part, though wasn't her fault, she didn't have a brush.

Maybe, it was because she lived in a dark cupboard, but Diana had always been the smallest kid on her class. She looked even tinnier than she really was because all she had to wear were old clothes that had belonged to Aunt Petunia. The problem was that Aunt Petunia had been taller and healthy at her age. Diana had a pale, heart shaped face, freckled nose, dark red hair, and elmerald green eyes that held flecks of blue and gold.

The only thing the young red head had from her dead parents, was a silver necklace with a lightning bolt charm in it. Funny enough in her forehead she had a scar shaped like a lightning bolt. She wondered if they were both conected somehow. Diana had had the scar as long as she could remember, and the first question she could ever remember asking her aunt was how she had gotten it.

Aunt Petunia had looked at her. Perhaps, she had seen the need to know- the hunger of love her eyes held, because her gaze softened. "In the car crash when your parents died," she had said before her eyes hardened again. "And don't ask questions."

Uncle Vernon glanced at her and said: "I'm warning you," putting his large purple face right up close to Diana's, "I'm warning you now, girl - any funny business, anything at all - and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."

Diana paled a little bit and tried to assure her uncle she wouldn't do anything, "I'm not going to do anything, honestly."

But Uncle Vernon didn't believe her. No one ever did.

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><p><em><strong>July 24, 2005<strong>_

Dudley's birthday was, to put it lightly- a complete and utter disaster.

They went to the zoo. It was a great day at first. Diana had gotten an ice cream- a cheap one of lemon, but an ice cream! She got to look at cool animals and had been allowed to eat Dudley's first knickerbocker glory, because it didn't have enough ice cream on top. It was all too good to be true.

After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers quickly found the largest snake. But it was sleep. after realizing it wouldn't wake the wandered away.

The snake woke up as it- she, he?- felt Diana staring; it winked, Diana winked back. Dudley saw the snake awake, pushed Diana out of the way and it all went wrong.

The Boa Constrictor escaped, slithered around her cosuin and Rat-Face, who began screaming like babies. Let's just say that her punishement hadn't been pretty.

The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Diana the longest-ever punishment, she had locked in her cupboard. And by the time she was allowed out of her cupboard again, the summer holidays had started and Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches._ Poor woman,_ Diana thought.

There was a horrible smell in the kitchen in morning when Diana went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. She went to have a look, wrinkling her nose at the smell. The tub was full of what looked like  
>dirty rags swimming in gray water. Diana raised an eyebrow.<p>

"What's this?" she asked Aunt Petunia, nodding her head to the tub. Her aunt's lips tightened as they always did if she dared to ask a question- so always.  
>"Your new school uniform."<br>Diana looked in the bowl again, trying to hide her disapointment. She thought the uniform was pants and shirts. Not skirts, as she could clearly see.  
>"Oh," she murmured sarcasticaly, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet."<p>

Her aunt reached out, grabbed a strand of red hair and pulled- _hard_. Diana flinched, but said nothing.

"Don't be stupid..." She snaped.  
>She sat down at the table and tried not to think about how she was going to look on her first day at Stonewall High - like she was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably.<p>

Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Diana's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table.

Soon they heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat.

"Get the mail, girl," sneered Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.

"Get the mail, Diana," he repeated.

Diana who was anoyed tried to say hopefully, "Make Dudley get it."  
>"Poke her with your Smelting stick, Dudley."<p>

Diana dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight- or more like the Isle of _Weight_-, a bill, and ... a letter for her. A letter adressed to her; Diana Potter.

She picked it up, with shaky hands and stared at it, her heart thumping against her chest. No one, ever, in her whole life, had written to her. Who would? Friends? She didn't have. Other family? If she had she wouldn't be stuck at the Dursleys. A librarian demanding rudley that she gave back books? Not likely. Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly that it could be no mistake:

_Ms. H. Potter_  
><em>The Cupboard under the Stairs<em>  
><em>4 Privet Drive<em>  
><em>Little Whinging<em>  
><em>Surrey<em>

H: Hyebe Diana Potter; her full name. _"God! Oh.."_ she thought.

Diana sat there staring at the letter at loss of words.

"GIRL!" Diana winced the angry shout. "Hurry up!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke. Diana looked at the kitchen door with disgust. She couldn't believe she was related to that _thing-_ he couldn't even make a joke!

Forgetting the letter on her hands, she went hurriedly to the kitchen. Aunt Petunia was eyeing her distrustfully, like she was going to turned them into frogs. Honestly! She handed roughly the bill and the postcard, to Uncle Vernon sat down, fuming.

Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust, and flipped over the postcard. His beady eyes scaned the writing and he shook his head.

"Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk-"

"To bad she didn't die," Diana murmured, loud enough for only herself to hear. She munched her apple slowly.

Her uncle picked up the last card. And when Diana glanced at it, she realized with dawning horror, that it was _her_ letter. But, it was too late. The man glanced at the letter, his face going stark white.

"Pet. Pet- Petunia come here," he said shakily.

Dudley like Diana wanted the letter. So he tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it high out of his reach, passing it to his wife. She took it curiously and read the first line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. Her baby blue eyes narrowed in anger and made a choking noise.

"Vernon! Oh my goddness- she's one of them I knew it!" Before Diana could react Aunt Petunia had reached out to grab her long red hair. The horse-faced pulled at her hair. Diana couldn't stop the words that left her mouth, "Ouch stop you stupid-" She was silenced by a sharp slap that send her to the floor.

Her eyes prickled, but she didn't dare to cry in front of them.

Aunt Petunia slapped her again, and she grabed a sharp knife. Diana was very pale, what was her aunt going to do? The blonde woman cut large chunks of red hair.

Then she looked at her; pointed to the door and said, "Out."

"But-"

Diana was slapped again, and the blade colided against her cheek, cutting it. "OUT," Petunia screamed harshly, her eyes gleaming with madness.

And with the fear gripping her heart, the red head fled the house.

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><p><strong><em>July 27, 2005<em>**

Diana couldn't believe her eyes. It had to be a joke.

"Impossible," she though aloud. "This is a load of rubbish. I'm not a ... witch. I don't have- magic." But the letter was written so perfectly that it didn't seem to be a joke.

Three days had passed since she fled from number four. It had happened before. Whenever her aunt would try to to somehing horrible to her, she would escape. When Uncle Vernon would throw a fit of rage- she would go. Diana had survived a week in the streets once, at seven. So, of course, it didn't bother her that she was in the streets. Or that she had to steal from a grocery shop to eat.

That day, she was woken up,- no by the sounds of he cars, or even by a street gang trying to steal from her and beat her up later,- by the hoot of an owl. She blinked sleeply, and straed at the owl.

"What in the Maker's name-" Diana muttered, when she was interupted by the hoot of the owl.

There was uncomfortable silence. Finally, Diana came to her senses and tried to shoo the bird away.

"Shoo! Go away!" But the owl ignored her and swooped in, dropping something on her lap. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to attack Diana's jeans.

"Don't do that."  
>Diana tried, yet again, to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak fiercely at her and carried on. The animal's wide amber eyes stared at her. Then, she remebered about the thing it had dropped into her lap. Her heart fluttered when she noticed it was letter. And it nearly stopped, when she realized it was the letter her aunt and uncle had taken from her.<p>

The adress, written in green ink, was as strange as the first: _Ms. H-D. Potter, Corner of the Dark Alley, Charing Cross Road, London._

Her letter!

She opened fiercely as if afraid it would be taken away.

It said addresed with the same ink:

_Hogwarts School: Of Witchcraft and Wizardy_  
><em>Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore<em>  
><em>(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme<em>  
><em>Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)<em>

_Dear Ms. Potter,_

_We congratulate you, because you have been accepted at Hogwarts_

_School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all_

_necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We _

_await your owl by no later than July 31. Someone of our staff will go_

_ to your residence to help you adquire your supplies, on the 28 of July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall,_  
><em>Deputy Headmistress<em>

Diana realised with a yelp, that she had to go back at the Dursleys now. Tomorrow, whomever was going to assist her was going to number four. With that in mind she ran to the busy streets of London, clutching the letter on her hands.

* * *

><p><strong><em>July 28, 2005<em>**

When at the next morning, the doorbell of number four rang, Diana jumped from her sit, startled. She didn't notice the nervous looks her aunt and uncle would throw her. Dudley, though remained obvlious at all.

"Girl, open the door," said Uncle Vernon. His had a worried frown on his face. The day before, as soon as his niece had returned, he had moved Diana from her tiny cupboard to Dudley's second bedroom. She, nodded nervously. "Y-yes, sir."

She walked calmly out of the kitchen, as soon she closed the door, she ran to the house's main door. And opened it. Diana looked curiously at the people before her. The man, had a pale pointed face, a large crooked nose, his black hair was cuted above his chin and was wearing back clothes. In the other hand, she was a tall, black-haired woman, dressed in emerald-green robes. She had a very stern face and Diana's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

The man sneered at her and the woman smiled. Though both stared at her curiously. And Diana, didn't need to even wonder why. Her pretty long red hair, had been cuted savagely four inches above her chin. And it hid, somewhat her face. Diana knew that she looked out of place: She was using a blue second hand dress, with long sleeves and a pair of old sneakers.

But Diana thought, that the most strange thing of herself, were her eyes. They were emerald-green, with flecks of bright blue and gold. Sometimes the color of her eyes would change.

"Um. Hullo, are you looking for someone?" she tried to say polietly.

The man didn't answer, he just stared at her intently. "Yes," said the woman, she had an scottish accent. "We are looking for Hyacinth Potter and her family."

Diana blinked confused. And she remembered that Hyacinth _was_ her name. All her life she had been called Diana, because her aunt said Hyacinth was freakish name. Diana knew it was a boys name also.

She turned to the woman. "Oh, yes. Well I-"

"Girl! Hurry up! Who is it?" Uncle vernon bellowed from the kitchen.

"Um... well-" Daiana began uncertanly, wincing at the volume of his voice.

"They are salemen aren't they? Tell them I won't buy anything!"

"Uncle, actually-" She tried again but the scottish woman cut her.

"Hyebe Potter?"

Diana looked at them. The man had an cold, indiferent mask, but he looked her intently. While, the woman observed her face with a frown. Diana ducked her head, letting her dark hair cover her face.

"It's Diana ma'm. You're from Hogwarts, yes?" She muttered shyly.

"Diana? Lily's idea no doubt." It was now the man who spoke. His voice was barely more than a whisper, but she caught every word.

But, in that moment Uncle Vernon came stomping from the kitchen. His face was red of rage. He walked to Diana,-not taking notice of the shocked wizards in his doorstep,- and bellowed:

"Hurry up! Hurry up, I say. You lazy, ungrateful-" Then he took notice of the staff members. It was a comical sight. His face went form red, to purple and then to the color of the moon; all in a matter of seconds. He made choking noise.

The wizard pushed him aside and entered the house. As soon as the door closed, Uncle Vernon bellowed.

"I demand that you leave at once!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!"

The scottish woman looked at him with well placed disgust on her face, she waved a stick- or wand?- on her hand and Uncle Vernon stoped screaming. He was still mouthing words. It was like she had put out the volume. The scottish woman gave him a dark glare and he went still, not uttering a single word.

Then aunt Petunia came right into the mess. She took a look on the scene, before she shouted; _"You!"_ Pointing at the dark clothed man. Whom, frowned at her.

"It's - been a while."

Scottish-Woman gave frustated sigh, and before Aunt Petunia could say anything she waved her wand, muttering an spell and Aunt Petunia, too, fell silent. The Bat-Like-Man looked a little pleased.

Finally, Scottish-Woman turned to stare at Diana.

"Well Miss Potter, I'm pleased to finally meet you, despite..." She glanced at the Dursleys. "The circumstances."

"Oh, um thanks," Diana said attemping to gave her smile.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Minerva McGonagall, I'm the Deputy Headmistress of the school, also I teach Transfiguration," The Scottish-Woman introduced herself. "Your father, was one of my most excelent students," The witch remembered fondly. But Diana was confused by the coment.

"Eh? My- my father? A wizard? Are you _that_ old?" The questions flowed out of her mouth, before she could stop them. She saw the wizard raise an eyebrow for the last question. Professor McGonagall didn't seemed pleased, though.

"Yes, Potter your father was a wizard, indeed. And yes I_ am_ that old." Diana had the decence to blush slightly."Haven't this people told you anything?"

"Er- no. Sorry."

Professor McGonagall turned to face the Dursleys removing the charm that made them unable to speak from them. Her lips were in a thigh line.

"You didn't told her anything! Hyebe Potter doesn't knows her true story. She doesn't even uses her first name. What have you done to James and Lily's girl!" She shouted. Alas, Diana wasn't paying attetion anymore. A warm feeling crept to her chest, and she allowed herself a small smile. James and Lily Potter. Lily and James Potter, she repeated on her head.

Hyebe, James and Lily Potter. What could have been. She sighed sadly. That's when she realized that McGonagall had stoped shouting to her relatives. Diana noticed that the man was gone, she looked questionly to the older witch.

"Severus- that's Professor Snape, he teaches Potions,- went to send a letter to Dumbledore, he'll come bck in a second," she informed her sternly. " And now, what do you have to say, for yourselves?" The woman said with a cold voice, making the Dursleys flinch and Diana wince.

Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.  
>"She's not going," he said.<p>

McGonagall glared at him frostly. "I'd like to see a Muggle like you stop her."

"A what?" asked Diana, interested.

"A Muggle," repeated McGonagall, "it's what we, in the Wizarding Community, call non-magic people like them."

Uncle Vernon, angry of being ignored shouted defiantly: "We swore when we took her in we'd put a stop to that rubbish, swore we'd stamp it out of her! Witch indeed!"

Diana's wide blue-green-golden eyes focused at him. "You knew," she said, not asking it. A statement, she grew angry little by little. "You knew I'm a witch? And you - never - told ME?! I-"

"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia madly, cutting her off. "_Knew!_ Of course we knew! How could you not be one, if my _stupid_ sister one herself?_ Oh,_ she got a letter just like that and disappeared off to that school and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frogs, turning teacups into mice. I was the only one who saw her for what she was - a freak! But for my mother and father, _oh no,_ it was Lily this and Lily that, they were proud of having a _witch_ in the family!"

Her aunt stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to say all this for years and kept it all botled up.

"Then she met that Jimmy Potter at school, they went and got married. After two years they had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as - as a _freak_ she was and then, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"

Diana, who had gone severals shades paler managed to say, as soon as she found her voice: "Blown up? Another lie isn't it? You told me they died in a car crash!"

Professor Snape came into the room with a scowl on his face. Aunt Petunia looked at him and shouted, " And him! You made her a-"

"_Silencio_!" The man casted stifly. Both professors turned to stare at her. "Let's go to the living room, shall we? There's a lot we have to explain."

* * *

><p><em><strong>July 31, 2005<strong>_

"This is it," said McGonagall, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place on our world."  
>It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If the scottish woman hadn't pointed it out, Diana wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all. In fact, Diana had the most peculiar feeling that only she and McGonagall could see it.<p>

"Muggles can't see it, right?" She guessed, and McGonagall gave her an aproving nod.

So Diana Potter along with the Transfiguration teacher, hard walked to the Leaky Cauldron. It was a popular wizarding pub and inn in London, created by Daisy Dodderidge to be gateway between the Muggle world and Diagon Alley.

The pub was in middle of a busy Muggle London street. Diana glanced at the bookshop at it's left and entered the inn. Inside the pub, it was dark and shabby, with a bar and a number of tables in the shadows of the corners. Various witches and wizards were sitted on the tables reading _The Prophet,_- the Wizarding World's newspaper- or eating some lunch.

A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter lowered when they walked in. Everyone seemed to been taught by the professor; they waved and smiled at her.

The batender looked at McGonagal. "Professor, what brings you here?" the he spotted Diana, that was trying to desesperatly hide herself on her long hair. "Ah. escorting muggleborn students."

McGonagall glanced at him tersely, "Yes. Tom if you could-"

But, it was too late. Tom, the batender, had caught sight of her face and gasped loudly.

"Great Merlin," said Tom, peering at Diana, "is this - can this be -?"

The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.

"Hyebe Potter! What an honor," he snatched her hand and place a kiss on it. "Welcome."

Diana didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at her, like she was the next god or something. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. McGonagall had an exasperated look on her eyes. Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Diana found herself shaking hands, giving hugs and giving bows to everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.

An old woman with dark eyes and white hair introduced herself brightly, "Doris Crockford, Heiress Potter, I can't believe I'm meeting you at last. Thank you."

"I'm sorry for your parents. Thanks to you, my wife is alive!"

"So proud, Miss, I'm just so proud."

"Always wanted to shake your hand - I'm all of a flutter."

"Delighted, Hyebe, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle," said an oddly familiar man. And then Diana remembered. Nearly two years ago, a tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to her once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Diana furiously if she knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything.

"I've seen you before!" she exclaimed, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. (Which McGonagall found very funny. Diana heard her mutter something about, 'flying stars' and 'Kent'.) "You bowed to me once in a shop."

"She remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? Hyebe remembers me!" Diana shook hands again and again-

Doris Crockford kept coming back for more. Until McGonagall had enough.

"Now, calm down, Dedalus! And- what are you?- Larissa! Mister Finwick, stop! If I could take points of Hufflepuff right now."

Slowly, the wizards and witches calmed down. Doris Crockford shook Diana's hand one last time, and McGonagall led her through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash can and a few weeds.

McGonagall glanced at Diana.

"Are you alright Miss Potter? I know it may be a quite new experience," McGonagall questioned quietly.

Diana shook her head dumbly. "Um. Yes, ma'm. I didn't asume I was _this_ famous. For defeating Voldemort. It's no big deal. I could be a normal girl with parents, I don't want the fame."

The professor gave her a pitying look, that Diana hated. Before she turned to face the brick wall.

"Three up... two across," she muttered. "Right, stand back, Potter." She tapped the wall three times with the point of her large willowy wand..

The brick she touched quivered, wriggling - in the middle, a small hole appeared - it grew wider and wider - a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Uncle Vernon's house, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

"Welcome," said McGonagall, allowing herself a small smile, "to Diagon Alley."

* * *

><p>Diana really hated bullies. So it was no wonder, when she had to refrain herself from punching an annoying boy in Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. He began to insult people from muggle families and acted like an arrogant jerk.<p>

Their conversation went something like this:

"Hello," said the boy, who had a pale pointed face. And platinium blonde hair. "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes," said Diana, eying him curiously. Another wizard. Maybe he would like to be friends, she thought hopefully.

"Father's next door buying my books and Mother's up the street, in Ollivander's looking at wands," said the boy, whom had a bored, drawling voice. "As soon as I finish this. I'm going to drag them off to took at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. Perhaps, I'll bully Father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

Diana was strongly reminded of Dudley and his gang, so she simply replied, "Oh."

"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.

"No, but maybe I'lll buy one" said Diana, begining to get irritated by the boy's maners.

He glanced at her with his grey eyes. "Play Quidditch at all?"  
>"No," She said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.<p>

A game, maybe?

"_I_ do," he anunced pompusly. "Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Do you know what house you'll be in yet?"

"Umm, no," she said, feeling more stupid by the minute. Diana let her dark hair fall to her face covering it, blushing in shame.

The boy didn't notice.

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they? But I know I'll be in Slytherin, all the wizards and witches in the Malfoy family have been- and in the Black family too. Imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

"Mmm," said Diana, not really paying attention. The name Black sounded familiar. '_Black? Where I have heard this name before?_'

But, the Malfoy boy began pointing excitedly toward the front window. Standing there was McGonagall, her arms crossed talking with a large man. His face was nearly covered by his large, and bushy beard. But his eyes, were warm and kind. He had a smile in his face.

Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts Gamekeeper. McGonagall had introduced him to her when they were at Gringotts. But the thing that got Diana's attention was what he said to Griphook, the goblin that was attending them.

"Got a lette' here 'rom Professor Dumbledore," had said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Diana had asked interesed.

"Can't tell yeh that," had said the Gamekeeeper mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."

She was shook awake by the Malfoy boy's voice.

"Look at that man," he pointed rudely at Hagrid.

"That's Hagrid, he works at Hogwarts" she said, pleased to know something the boy didn't.

"Ah," said Malfoy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't he?"

"He's the gamekeeper," She was liking Malfoy less and less every second. Diana suddenly had an horrible thought. What if all the wizarding kids were like that? She wouldn't survive Hogwarts for sure.

"Exactly. I've been told he's a sort of savage- lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."

Now, Diana may not know Hagrid well. They had meet nearly an hour ago, after all. But, it didn't mean that she liked hearing someone say bad things about others. So she said, cooly, "I think he's brilliant, and very kind."

"Do you?" Malfoy sneered. "Why is he with you? And that witch, too?" He said pointing to McGonagall. "Where are your parents?"

"They're were killed in the war," Diana had to remind herself to not punch him, she didn't feel much like getting into trouble and kicked out of the store.

"Oh, sorry," said the other, not sounding sorry at all. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"

"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."

"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. They ruin our world with their new traditions. And the old ways are fading. Yule is now Christmas and Samhain was replaced by Halloween. Many of the old families don't celebrate them anymore. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. Don't you? What's your surname, anyway?"

Diana was left confused and angry. Sure, she understood that some of the old families were very close to their festivities. And that for the benefit of the muggle born students, they replaced some of the celebrations of the Wizarding World for their own. It would be difficult to settle down in a new world without nothing of the old traditions you had, right?

But, that didn't give some of the old families who thought they were more important because their family had always been magical. And that muggle borns were inferior. Or that you might be more magical because your parent were wizards.

So she snapped at him:

"For your information, my mother was a muggle born witch. And a powerful one, or that's what they told me anyway. My father was from an old family, but was an only child. So when he died his title passed to my. When I'm sixteen I'll be a Lady. Me, the daughter of a muggle born witch, raised by muggles and new to the Wizarding Community."

Malfoy stood there his mouth hanging open. She took a deep breath and continued.

"Maybe a few of the old families are mad. But, why take it out with the muggle borns? It is their fault? No. That families should beat out the crap if whomever replaced this traditions for the muggle ones. Now, I can't help but think, that perhaps the one who did this had good intentions. If the muggle borns are not comfortable they just can leave. So no muggle borns means no new magical blood," Diana paused to ruffle Malfoy's hair and she got down of the stool.

"Think of it, Malfoy. Oh, Hyebe Potter by the way!"

Malfoy's only thought was, 'Crap, I screwed up.'

* * *

><p><strong><em>August 31, 2005<em>**

On the last day of August, a day before she could go to Hogwarts she thought she'd better speak to her aunt and  
>uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day. So she went down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on television. She cleared his throat to let them know she was there.<p>

She had brushed her hair trying to look a little bit presentable. Diana didn't smile. She knew that the Dursleys hated seeing her smile, so she choose not to.

Dudley looked upon her fearfully. When Hagrid had taken her back home, he gived her a cake wich Dudley ate. The half-giant wasn't very amused by it and he quickly performed illegal magic to turn her cousin into a pig. Unfortunately, it didn't work. But it gave Dudley a pigs tail.

Diana approached her Uncle Vernon cautiously. "Uncle Vernon?"

The big beefy man didn't look at her, he still stared at the telly, but he gave a grunt to show he was listening.

"Umm. I need to go to King's Cross- you know the station?- to go to... _school_." She didn't said Hogwarts, because she was sure if she said the words, Hogwarts, magic, wand, wizard or witches, they woul chuck her out of the house.

Uncle Vernon grunted again.

"Would it- could you, um, give me a lift?" Then she added with a starined smile. "Please."

Grunt. Diana supposed that meant yes.

"Well, thanks, uncle. I guess," she said the last part quietly. And stiffened when Aunt Petunia looked at her disdainfully.

Diana realized that the conversation had ended. But, when she was about to go back upstairs, Uncle Vernon actually spoke:

"Funny way to get to a school like ... _that_: the train. Flying carpets are all damaged, eh?" he sneered.

She frowned.

"The ministry of our lot,- as you, with all the love of your heart I'm sure, like to call us,- put a ban on all flying carpets because they are classified as mu- um, normal objects." Diana had read it in a book, but it was hard to. The words were always blurry and seemed to be mixing with others. When she was little, she pased terrible shame when the teacher asked her to spell something. The only things she could spell correctly were, her name, her parents' names (she had learned that in a few weeks) and the name of her favorite star.

Uncle Vernon spoke again. "Where is this school, anyway?"

"Er, I'm not sure... But, in one book it says it's near Deffton, Difftun, Dufftiot, umm, I don't know how to spell it-"

"-Dufftown, in Banffshire and in the Scottish Highlands."

If Diana hadn't seen her lips moving she wouldn't have believed that Aunt Petunia was the one who spoke.

She managed to squeak a "What?"

Aunt Petunia looked surprised too. Like she hadn't realized she was speaking and pursed her lips.

"I may be a normal person, but my sis- _your mother_ was one of... them. So I learned too, not that _I_ wanted of course," her aunt snapped the last part.

Uncle Vernon uncomfortable to being ignored asked with a sneer, "When are you going then? And which platform?"

Diana rolled her eyes mentally, she didn't want to suffer the consequences. She took the ticket Hagrid had given her out of her pocket.

"I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven o'clock," she read slowly with immense difficulty, the words were dancing across the ticket.

Silence reigned the living room. Diana raised her head to look at her relatives. They wore dumbfounded expressions ob their faces. Uncle Vernon grunted in disbelief.

"What did you said?"

She repeated what the ticket said, confused. But she didn't dare voice her confusion, knowing it would only make it worse. So she remained quiet.

Finally Uncle Vernon gave a mad chuckle. "Platform what?

"Nine and three-quar-"

"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and three-quarters."

"It's on my ticket!"

"Barking, howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up  
>to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother."<p>

"Why are you going to London?" Diana asked trying to be polite.

"Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled her uncle. "Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings."

Diana walked back to her room awkardly.

* * *

><p><strong><em>September 1, 2005<em>**

Diana for once on her life was truly afraid. It wasn't that she hadn't been afraid before, no. `She had been. When Aunt petunia went almost mad. And when she looked up at Uncle Vernon's purple and angry face before a beating.

She now, however feared that she was going to miss the train to Hogwarts. And what would happen if she missed it, surely her aunt and uncle wouldn't welcome her on their house that day. They were going to take Dudley to remove the tail Hagrid had given him.

What on earth was she going to do? She was starting to attract a lot of funny looks, because of Hedwig, the snowy owl Hagrid bought for her as a birthday present. She'd have to ask someone.

Diana walked determinatelly and stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and three-quarters. So she asked about the train of the private school near Scotland. The guard had never heard of it and when she couldn't even tell him what part of Scotland it was in, he started to get annoyed, as though Diana was being stupid on purpose.

At the end the guard strode away, muttering about time wasters. Diana was now trying hard not to panic.

According to to an elegant man in a suit (she couldn't read the large clock over the arrivals board, because of the dyslexia) she had ten minutes left to get on the train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do it.

McGonagall had said something about a barrier, but she had spaced out in that moment.

"Damn ADHD," she muttered angrily. Diana was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk she could hardly lift, a pocket full of wizarding money, and a large owl.

She remembered the entrance of Diagonal Alley and wondered if she should get out her wand and start tapping the ticket inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.

Diana had only seven minutes more.

At that moment a group of people passed just behind her an she caught afew words of what they were saying.

"-like always packed with Muggles, of course -"

In that moment Diana knew she had hope.

* * *

><p><strong>Word Count: 7, 352<strong>


End file.
